Masks For Figures, The Action Feature That Never Was

As a customizer, I get some really weird requests.  It's okay, it's kind of the point of customs...doing what the factories can't do.  On one of my commissions, I had the one request that really got me thinking, removable mask.  I am not sure if I should call it a weird request, as it is one of my favorites, but I often wondered why it just never banned out in retail.

Hard Plastic

My first exposure to this (and maybe the start of my obsession with head swapping action figures) was the Bruce Wayne figure from the "Batman Returns" toy line.

As you can see from the pic, the hard plastic just doesn't line up with the head perfectly.  If my memory serves me right, I also believe that the head piece really did not stay on the figure.  Also, it look s like he has gorilla feet and hands with the snap-on gloves and boots.

The Rubber Mask

As technology progresses, we get a tad closer to seeing better accessories in our favorite figures.  The Batman San Diego Comic Con 2012 figure sadly failed in going any better.

This guy is close but there are some flaws.  For starters, we are missing the famous black eye paint which just looks weird in my opinion.  Second, the mask is just too big and makes Bats look like a bobblehead.  A valiant effort from Mattel but we are just not there yet.  They could have made the rubber a tighter fit but it would either have caused the mask to rip when the buyer was taking the mask off or making it next to impossibe to take the mask off.  It really was a lose/lose for the designer.

Pin Head 

Probably the best attempt I have seen still falls short as it causes the dreaded "pin head" effect on the figure.  Marvel Legends Xorn figure (see below), had a nice mask that fit perfectly on the Magneto head (no spoiler alert as you should have read this over ten years ago).

While the Xorn mask looks great on the figure, the Magneto head is just a tad too small giving the pin head effect.  Personally, if I was a toy designer and I HAD to make a figure with a removable mask, this would be the choice I would make as it is not quite as bad as the other two.

The Other Guys

There are several other options out there as far as giving the masked/unmasked effect on action figures.  There was the Power Rangers head flipping toys out there for a while but these guys had box like torsos and it was sort of creepy when their chest and back burst open and their head would spin down as a helmeted head spun up.

Finally there is the best way to do it, the swappable head.  Scroll down to the custom Batman figure (or wait for pics of v1.2 that will be coming up) to see what I am talking about.  I feel this is the best way to go as comic book characters are (usually) shown having the same size head whether they have their masks on or off.  Off the top of my head, Jason Todd as Red Hood is a great example of this (funny enough, he is the character behind this pointless post).  Most artist, whether the helmet is on or off, will draw his head the same size.

Final Thoughts

It just doesn't work.  I really don't blame toy companies as it would either cost way to much money to execute masks at a small size or the material would probably rip the first time customers tried to use it if they went with a rubber like material.  The "pin head" effect works too but us fan boys will bitch too much.

What are your thoughts?  Did I forget to bring up an action figure that executed the removable mask?  Let me know!

Ben Affleck IS Batman

Everyone and their mother that knows me on a personal level knows that I am a Batman Fanatic.  Hell, some have called me a Batman expert.  This will be more of a personal post because after the article below (or some version of it) hit the web, my phone, e-mail, and Facebook has been flooded with messages from friends and family.

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/ben-affleck-is-the-new-batman-1200586881/

To give visitors a 1% understanding of my Batman knowledge, I have read every single issue of Batman from 1989 to current.  Before digital, I had roughly eight to ten large plastic totes of Batman comics.  In every house I have lived in, I have had a Batcave of some sort where I work on customs or display some of my stuff.  My mom is still pissed that the basement of her garage is full of Batman stuff that people have given to me over the years, it is even rumored that she might have to move it to a hayloft.  Long story short, I know Batman and in the upcoming Superman movie Ben Affleck will be Batman and I am okay with it...for now.

Let's start off by saying I am not an Affleck fan.  If I made a list of my top ten actors, he would not be on it.  I can't even tell you the last time I saw one of his flicks in theaters. 

I have seen his movies, though, and I do know that he can play the affectionate asshole like my dear Bats.  In "The Town", he was a great anti-hero. Shit, his best friend is (and I dare say) a bigger Batman fan than me, Kevin Smith.  Hopefully he has enough sense to ask Kev for some tips to playing the Dark Knight.

Look at Heath Ledger.  I was pissed when I found out that the singing high schooler, and poor knight was going to play my favorite villain of all time, the Joker.  What were they thinking?  The bank scene in "The Dark Knight" had me thinking that he might be an okay choice.  Heath wasn't good with that though.  He did the little magic trick in his next scene and I KNEW he was the Joker.  Remember the scene where Gordon gets promoted and the Joker started the creepy slow clap?  That was not in the script, it was all Ledger.

But we are talking about Afflect here.  So what good point can I bring to this casting choice?  The movie will be Man of Steel 2, so if he flops, Warner Brothers did not dedicate a whole movie to him.  If he is really good, we have our new Batman for a few movie.  If he does good but you just don't like him, you will see a new Batman sooner or later.  Just realize that Batman is Warner Brother's version of James Bond, the actor can be replaced at any time and the fans will still go.

I say let's give the guy a chance.  Worse case, he screws up a Superman movie, so what do I care?  Best case, I get to see a good Batman hit Superman in the face.  In the long run, I win!

Batman: Arkham Origins - The Only Preview Most People Should Need!

It's no secret that I am a Batman fan.  I have a room full of Batman stuff, merchandise that I either bough or, more importantly, friends and family purchased because they know how much I love Batman.  A background information, I used to work in the video game industry.  My only dream was to one day make a Batman game that didn't suck (this is pre-2009) and that would be my homage to the Batman legend and giving Batman fans a reason to cheer.  Then, in 2009, Rocksteady took my dream from me but in a good way with Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Fast forward to today, August 20, 2013.  There was Asylum which was followed by Arkham City.  Both games are the top of my list of all time favorite games.  It doesn't hurt that they are both games based on Batman but its how they presented the idea of Batman.  Every second that I played these games, I honestly felt that I was Batman and I had to figure out how to save the day.  To engulf a player like that is the pinnacle of what makes a great game.

In two months, WB Games, not Rocksteady, will be launching their prequel to the series with Origins.  I was hesitant about this at first, but after seeing what is on the internet, I can honestly say that I am pretty stoked for this game.  Why?  Because, if the previews hold true, I get to do the one thing that the first two games missed.  I get to navigate around the FREAKING Batcave.  Arkham City teased me when they added the DLC for Challenge Maps within the Batcave but that was not good enough.  I want to roam around, press buttons on the computer, analyze evidence, make a new gadget...well, you get the idea.  While I am sure that not all of my hopes and dreams are going to be in this game, it is definitely a step in the right direction.

I say this is the only preview that you will need because, let's be honest, you are only going to play this game if you played or heard about the first two.  I have friends that consider themselves gamers and they have never played the Batman games.  I try to be okay with that but they are really great games and Origins looks to build on what Rocksteady did great but also adding their own flare to the game.

Do I have concerns? Sure.  It will kill me if the gadgets in the game are more high tech than the ones in Asylum and City because technology does not devolve.  Sure we are not talking about the gaps in time where it would be using lasers in the 1900s but I don't want Batman running around with tech better than what he will have in the future.  Kills the whole mindset of engulfing me into believing the story (it's those minor details that make good games great).

So, will I be happy after Origins?  Will all of my wants and dreams of playing Batman games be fulfilled?  Hell no!  I want to drive the freaking Batmobile!  I want to go to the Watch Tower and punch Superman in the face!  I am just going over the top here, but I honestly hope they just keep pumping these Arkham games out, do spin offs of them (I predict a Green Arrow appearance in Origins since the bomb Deathstroke uses has a Queen Industries logo on it #geekknowledge) of other DC character.  Build up to a Justice League game (I doubt this will happen).  Batman has such a rich history that theses games could go on for as long as the fans buy them.

I will be pre-ordering this game, the collectors edition as a matter of fact, soon.  The only reason as to why I haven't yet is because I like to see what retailers offer what with their exclusive DLC.  You can be assured that there will be a review of this game as soon as it comes out!

For a better written preview and more images like the one I stole, head over to Comic Book Resources.

Happy Day Customs' Deadpool Review

Let's get this out of the way first, I hate Deadpool customs.  There are a dime a dozen and everyone has made one, myself included.  I understand the appeal of making a Deadpool figure though, they are ridiculously fun to make.  There are only certain amount of costume details that DP needs and after they have been met, a customizer can go hog wild with their artistic styles to get a more diversified look.  Weapons, details, more weapons...er...I digress.

As part of the World's Greatest Customizers site, Happy Day Customs has asked yours truly to review his custom Deadpool.  So here we go!

The Good

HDC picked a great base here.  Yes, it has been a used a million times, but it is the best base in my opinion for Deadpool.  The paint is clean with the right amount of shading.  I love the shade of red that he picked as the shade REALLY complements the black here.  It is not overly contrasting and it doesn't get lost in the black shading as well.

Accessories!  Deadpool needs lots of guns.  BANG!  BANG!  There are a lot of weapons here and they work well.  DP is not getting lost in a cluster of weapons and the subtle grenade on the chest strap complements the figure well.  The straps and holsters are really well done here.  I like the idea of removeable guns and somewhere to put the weapons when they are not being used.  There are a lot of holsters but there is not too many that takes away from the figure like I have seen on other Deadpool figures.

The Bad

I was really hoping to get an easier custom to review here, something to rag on.  I'm suppose to be a hard ass, dammit!  I have to point out that there is a paint chip on the right chest.  I noticed it in a few photos and it was not in a few other.  It is hard to rag on a customizer for this, as I have done it before, and you really don't notice something small like that until the camera blows it up.  My guess is that HDC fixed it , so it was a good catch on his part.

If you have read this blog before, you know I am big on comic accuracy when making comic figures.  I don't like the boots.  I can't think of an artist that draws DP with those big boots.  Doesn't mean there isn't an artist out there does, but it is not the iconic look that comes to my mind.  The fact that this is my biggest complaint here says a lot as this is a personal preference vs just a flat out flaw in the figure.  There are people out there that might like this look and good for them.

Recommendation Changes

I really wish there would have been some seams sculpted on the costume to match the seams on the mask.  This would create a nice flow of consistency through the figure.

Lastly, a black wash over some of the weapons would have added to the overall effect of the figure.  The basic silver of the gun just makes me realize that I am looking at a toy and not a real person (don't judge my craziness).

Final Thoughts

This is really a great figure.  I am a little ticked that there was not much for me to nit pick but that is a good thing as customs are designed to pick up the slack that the factory figures ignore.  Happy Day Customs made an awesome figure here and it speaks volumes that most of the "flaws" that I mentioned were actually more based on my preferences for how Deadpool should look.  I am not sure if HDC sold this figure or not but whomever has this figure is probably happy with the figure.

To check out more of Happy Day Customs, follow the link here.

To have your figure reviewed, contact me by e-mail or PM through the WGC.